October is Black History Month, a month focused on celebrating and highlighting the history and achievements of the black community and their contribution to society.
Epsom College is running a number of events throughout the month, culminating in our own Black History Week starting on Monday 12 October.
The College’s activities are being organised by the Black History Month Committee, which includes Sixth Form students Olaiya Adeniji (F), Remi Adeniji (W), Ida Saidy (W), Aaron Endeley (C) and Kitan Ojo (H).
The Committee’s aim in support of the national activity is to “celebrate the achievements of people of colour within the College and the world; to raise awareness of injustices past and present.”
In the run up to Black History Week the College will be hosting the following events:
2 October
Our events kicked off this morning with the visit of Toni Fola-Alade. Toni is a lawyer at Clifford Chance, and former president of the Afro Caribbean Society at Cambridge University. Toni will be spending the morning visiting pupils during their PSHE lessons and in the afternoon is talking to the U6,
5-10 October
From next week, the purposes and aims of Black History Month will be explained to students through assemblies, posters, and our second guest speaker Dr Charlie Easmon.
9 October
Dr Easmon will speak to our Upper Sixth students. Dr Easmon trained at St George’s Hospital Medical School and has a Diploma in Tropical Medicine from Liverpool University.
He worked at a variety of NGOs and as Medical Director at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. More recently he has focused on mental health in the workplace, and co-founded Global Health Action Strategies and Solutions (GHASS), which he set up to provide effective and rapid response to global disasters.
Black History Week, 12-17 October
Throughout Black History Week, the College will be hosting a variety of events, talks and activities. Canon Adrian will lead each Chapel homily reflecting on his experiences in South Africa. A range of events will be taking place across all academic departments. Highlights include:
- Lower School geographers examining the role of the underground railroad in slaves finding freedom, and an investigation of Windrush in the context of colonialism and migration.
- the Art Department exploring the often hidden work on black British artists
- Biology students studying the pioneering work of Dr Matthew Lukiya and Dr Stella Ameyo Adadevoh in their fight to control Ebola.
- French students gaining a deeper understanding of the impact of immigration on French society with particular focus on the death in custody of Makome M’Bowole and the film La Haine.
In Tutor time students will watch relevant TEDTalks as a precursor to group discussions and members of the Black History Month committee will be interviewed as part of the new Epsom College podcast.
PSHE and wellbeing lessons in the Lower School and Middle Fourth will be forums led by members of the Black History Month committee.
In addition, the following events will be taking place on specific days:
Monday 12 October
Pastor Nims Obunge, CEO of the Peace Alliance and London Mayoral candidate, will preside over the Chapel Service to Upper Sixth students. A Chapel anthem will be performed by Upper Sixth student Gemima Iseka-Bekano (Wh). The service will also be livestreamed to the College community.
Friday 16 October
Black History Month film night will screen films for the Sixth Form in Big School, and for other years within their Houses.
Saturday 17 October
The Upper Sixth Headmaster’s Assembly will see significant contributions from the Black History Month Committee, and mark the launch of the Epsom College Afro Caribbean Society.
